PREVIEW: Phantoms vs. Americans, Game #18

Saturday, November 245at 7:05 p.m.
PPL Center, Allentown, PA
Lehigh Valley (8-6-3) vs. Rochester (10-4-2)

TONIGHT
Two streaking teams collide at PPL Center tonight when the Lehigh Valley Phantoms host the Rochester Americans, AHL affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The Phantoms have points in five consecutive games (4-0-1) while the Amerks are in second place in the North Division and have compiled a three-game win streak.
It’s Flyers Night at PPL Center featuring the triumphant return of GRITTY! Fans are encouraged to stay after for Postgame Photos with the Phantoms Players. The Phantoms will also celebrate the 2-Millionth fan to attend a game at PPL Center since the team arrived to downtown Allentown in 2014.

LAST TIME
The Phantoms piled on 42 shots against Providence goalie Brandon Bussi but only broke through one time in a 2-1 overtime decision at PPL Center on Friday night. Olle Lycksell (12th) tied the game with 5:48 left on the team’s 33rd shot of the game. Jayson Megna in the first period and Fabian Lysell in overtime accounted for the Bruins’ pair of power-play markers. The Phantoms largely dominated play including a 14-1 shots advantage to start and then 17 more shots in the third period.

FELIX RETURNS
The Philadelphia Flyers have loaned goaltender Felix Sandström to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
The Flyers have also reassigned defenseman Mason Millman from the Phantoms to the Reasding Royals of the ECHL.
Sandström, 26, recently played in two games with Lehigh Valley on a conditioning loan from Philadelphia. But his stint with the Phantoms was cut short due to an upper-body injury in the first period of a home game on Friday, November 3 against Hartford. He was recalled to Philadelphia after that game and placed on injured reserve.  Sandström went 0-0-1, 3.68, .857 in his two games with Lehigh Valley. Last season, he played in seven games with the Phantoms in January on a conditioning loan going 4-1-2, 2.39, .911 which came in between stints with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Millman has played in seven games with the Phantoms this season recording two assists.

PHANTASTIC!

• The Phantoms are on a five-game point streak with a 4-0-1 record since November 12.
• Olle Lycksell (12-4-16) is tied for second in the AHL with 12 goals. He is also tied for first in power-play goals with 6. Lycksell has scored goals in back-to-back games and has four goals in the last four contests.
• Samu Tuomaala (3-11-14) moved into a tie for second in assists among rookies and is tied for fifth in points for first-year players.
• The Phantoms are 7-0-1 when scoring three or more goals
• Lehigh Valley’s defense and goaltending have thrived in the team’s five-game point streak allowing just seven goals in the last five games. The Phantoms have also not allowed more than two goals in the last six games.
• Lehigh Valley’s power play is now best in the Eastern Conference and fourth in the AHL at 23.0%. The Phantoms have scored on the power play in five consecutive games and are 6/13 in that stretch.
• Lehigh Valley is tied for second in the AHL for most goals scored in the second period (21)
• The Phantoms are also tied for second for most total shots in the second period (186)

ROCHESTER RUNDOWN
Rochester (10-4-2) is on a three-game win streak and brings an exciting and fast-paced squad to PPL Center for the Saturday night contest. The Amerks leads the conference, and are second in the AHL, with 3.81 goals per game but they also give up the second-most in the league surrendering 4.19 goals per contest. Isak Rosen scored the overtime winner with just a few seconds remaining in Rochester’s Friday night win over Laval which was also their second consecutive overtime victory against the Rocket. A pair of young Buffalo Sabres first-rounders pace the Rochester offense including 20-year-old Isak Rosen (8-11-19) and 19-year-old Jiri Kulich (11-6-17). Former Phantom Dustin Tokarski (4-1-1, 3.44, .892) from the 2017-18 season has been slower to find his top form this season. The two-time Calder Cup winner is 13th in AHL history with 209 career wins and has also played in 80 NHL games, most recently with Pittsburgh last year and Buffalo the season before.

Phantoms Scoring Leaders
Olle Lycksell 12-4-16
Tanner Laczynski 4-1-15
Cooper Marody 5-9-14
Samu Tuomaala 3-11-14
Garrett Wilson 4-7-11

Amerks Scoring Leaders
Isak Rosen 8-11-19
Jiri Kulich 11-6-17
Mason Jobst 7-4-11
Jeremy Davies 3-8-11
Brandon Biro 5-5-10

SPECIAL TEAMS
Lehigh Valley PP, 23.0% (4th, 1st in Conference)
Lehigh Valley PK 84.5% (12th)
Rochester PP 22.2% (6th)
Rochester PK 74.1% (31st)

UP NEXT
The Phantoms play three straight on the road next weekend with a pair of games at Hartford and then a Sunday matinee at Providence. The Phantoms are back at PPL Center on Friday, December 8 against the Providence Bruins to open a five-game homestand which includes the annual Teddy Bear Toss Night on Saturday, December 9 when the Phantoms host the Charlotte Checkers.

UPCOMING
Saturday, November 25 (7:05 p.m.) – Rochester Americans at Lehigh Valley Phantoms – Flyers Night with GRITTY! Plus postgame photos with Phantoms players

Friday, December 1 (7:00 p.m.) – Lehigh Valley Phantoms at Hartford Wolf Pack
Saturday, December 2 (7:00 p.m.) – Lehigh Valley Phantoms at Hartford Wolf Pack
Sunday, December 3 (3:05 p.m.) – Lehigh Valley Phantoms at Providence Bruins

Friday, December 8 (7:05 p.m.) – Providence Bruins at Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Saturday, December 9 (7:05 p.m.) – Charlotte Checkers at Lehigh Valley Phantoms – Teddy Bear Toss presented by Big Woody’s!

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